SANTO DOMINGO.- The Spanish multinational Clerhp announced that it signed a commercial agreement with Sonesta International Hotels, the eighth largest hotel group in the world, to build the luxury hotels The Royal Sonesta and Tje James, in Punta Cana, La Altagracia province.
These two new facilities are of great importance to this American company and are part of its expansion strategy in Latin America, and specifically in the Caribbean, explained Sonesta's development director, Brian Quinn. The building will be part of the Larimar City & Resort real estate development project, located in the Dominican Republic's main tourist destination.
“The first phase of Larimar City & Resort is expected to be completed between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, and will include entertainment venues, a shopping mall, various dining options, gyms, spas, a clubhouse with an 18-hole golf course, outdoor sports facilities, and a children-focused activity center,” the hotel executive stated.
For his part, Clerhp CEO Juan Andrés Romero indicates that Larimar City & Resort is a destination designed to offer innovation, quality of life and luxury, which will offer a unique life experience and easy air access from the main markets of North America and Europe.
“This project has the support of the Dominican government and various international investor groups who see this mixed-use development as the first of its kind in the Dominican Republic and an attractive investment opportunity,” he noted.
The CEO of Clerhp highlighted that the Dominican Republic experienced an 11 percent increase in visitors in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period in 2019, according to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer published last January.
Romero pointed out that this island is famous for its varied terrain that includes rainforest, savanna and highlands, including Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean, so visitors to this territory can enjoy spectacular beaches and waterfalls, whale watching and exploring the cultural attractions of Santo Domingo.
Clerhp is a multinational company specializing in the development, design, engineering, and construction of large-scale projects in Spain and Latin America, specifically Paraguay, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic. The company continues to strengthen its project with this new announcement and contract.
Larimar City & Resort
Located 25 minutes from Punta Cana airport and 15 minutes from the beaches of Bavaro, on a cliff more than 100 meters above sea level and with spectacular 180-degree views, a garden city is being developed that will be considered the first smart city in the Caribbean.
This ambitious real estate project emphasizes renewable energy, reduced energy consumption, and optimized water resource use through technologies such as AI, Big Data, and IoT. It anticipates a population of 35,000 to 55,000 residents and tourists, fostering the region's socioeconomic growth and increasing the value of investments.
The project also prioritizes sports, nature, leisure and wellness experiences with amenities such as a country club with golf course, health clinics, wellness center and sports facilities.
For its part, Sonesta is the eighth largest hotel company in the U.S., according to Smith Travel Research (STR), with approximately 1,200 properties totaling 100,000 rooms across 17 brands. It owns, manages, and/or franchises properties under The Royal Sonesta; The James, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts; Sonesta Select; Sonesta Essential, Sonesta ES (Extended Stay) Suites, Sonesta Simply Suites, and Sonesta Cruise Collection, which also operate in Egypt; Sonesta Posadas del Inca; Hotel RL; Red Lion Hotels; Red Lion Inn & Suites; Signature Inn; GuestHouse Extended Stay; Knight's Inn; Americas Best Value Inn; and Canada's Best Value Inn.
